Conference proceeding
Overview of lunar detection of ultra-high energy particles and new plans for the SKA
7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ACOUSTIC AND RADIO EEV NEUTRINO DETECTION ACTIVITIES (ARENA 2016), Vol.135, 4001
EPJ Web of Conferences
01/01/2017
DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/201713504001
Abstract
The lunar technique is a method for maximising the collection area for ultra-high-energy (UHE) cosmic ray and neutrino searches. The method uses either ground-based radio telescopes or lunar orbiters to search for Askaryan emission from particles cascading near the lunar surface. While experiments using the technique have made important advances in the detection of nanosecond-scale pulses, only at the very highest energies has the lunar technique achieved competitive limits. This is expected to change with the advent of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), the low-frequency component of which (SKA-low) is predicted to be able to detect an unprecedented number of UHE cosmic rays.
In this contribution, the status of lunar particle detection is reviewed, with particular attention paid to outstanding theoretical questions, and the technical challenges of using a giant radio array to search for nanosecond pulses. The activities of SKA's High Energy Cosmic Particles Focus Group are described, as is a roadmap by which this group plans to incorporate this detection mode into SKA-low observations. Estimates for the sensitivity of SKA-low phases 1 and 2 to UHE particles are given, along with the achievable science goals with each stage. Prospects for near-future observations with other instruments are also described.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Overview of lunar detection of ultra-high energy particles and new plans for the SKA
- Creators
- Clancy W. James - Univ Erlangen Nurnberg, ECAP, D-91058 Erlangen, GermanyJaime Alvarez-Muniz - Universidade de Santiago de CompostelaJustin D. Bray - University of ManchesterStijn Buitink - Vrije Universiteit BrusselRustam D. Dagkesamanskii - Russian Academy of SciencesRonald D. Ekers - CSIRO, Astron & Space Sci, N Ryde, NSW 2122, AustraliaHeino Falcke - Radboud University NijmegenKen Gayley - University of IowaTim Huege - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyMaaijke Mevius - University of GroningenRob Mutel - University of IowaOlaf Scholten - Vrije Universiteit BrusselRalph Spencer - University of ManchesterSander ter Veen - Radboud University NijmegenTobias Winchen - Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Contributors
- S Buitink (Editor) - Vrije Universiteit BrusselJ. R. Hörandel (Editor)S DeJong (Editor)R Lahmann (Editor)R Nahnhauer (Editor)O Scholten (Editor) - Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding
- Publication Details
- 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ACOUSTIC AND RADIO EEV NEUTRINO DETECTION ACTIVITIES (ARENA 2016), Vol.135, 4001
- Series
- EPJ Web of Conferences
- DOI
- 10.1051/epjconf/201713504001
- ISSN
- 2100-014X
- eISSN
- 2100-014X
- Publisher
- E D P Sciences
- Number of pages
- 6
- Grant note
- 1517412 / Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien; National Science Foundation (NSF); NSF - Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences (MPS)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/01/2017
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984429023202771